Andorra explores drones as a new tool to prevent wildfires

The Comú of Sant Julià de Lòria (Andorra) has launched the first actions under a new forest management plan aimed at reducing the risk of wildfires, improving forest health and promoting biodiversity. The initial intervention has been carried out in the surroundings of Juberri, an area considered particularly sensitive due to the proximity of several residential developments, where 11 hectares of forest have already been managed. At the same time, project managers consider that drones are becoming an increasingly useful technology for forest analysis and the preparation of forest inventories, although the Comú does not yet use them on a regular basis. The Mayor of Sant Julià de Lòria, Cerni Cairat, explained that this action forms part of the forest management plan recently approved, which establishes a forest management strategy for the 2027–2030 period. According to him, the project goes far beyond simple forest cleaning. The objective is to manage forests actively in order to make them healthier and more resilient to wildfires, support the recovery of wildlife and biodiversity, promote the regeneration of grazing areas useful for the primary sector and gradually adapt forest composition to new climate conditions. In this regard, the works consist of reducing part of the pine forest, especially younger or less vigorous trees, in order to encourage the development of less flammable species such as oaks, holm oaks and other native trees. The aim is to gradually transform the forest mosaic, as pine-dominated forests have a higher fuel load and are more vulnerable in the event of a wildfire. The budget allocated to these actions has also increased significantly. While in 2025 the Comú invested €20,000, this year the allocation has reached €60,000, which has allowed the first phase of the works to be carried out over an area of 11 hectares. The forecast is to progressively increase investment in the coming years and extend the actions to other sectors of the parish, such as Comabella, the surroundings of Montllobà, Naturland, the Francolí forests, Canòlich and other forest areas of Sant Julià de Lòria. The plan foresees interventions on a total of 152 hectares over the next ten years. Regarding technological innovation, the Mayor explained that, although the Comú does not yet use drones for forest monitoring activities, this technology is gaining importance in the sector. According to him, drones allow a very precise view of forest areas and facilitate the preparation of inventories, without significantly increasing costs, as field verification remains necessary. He also acknowledged that their use in Andorra is still at an early stage, but believes that this tool will eventually play an increasingly relevant role in forest planning and management. Forest engineer Esteve Tor, the technical manager responsible for the forest management plan, explained that the work started in the Ferrés de Juberri forest takes advantage of a natural process that is already taking place in the area. In this zone, under the pine forest, deciduous species such as downy oak (roure martinenc) are already growing, especially in wetter areas, while holm oak (alzina) dominates drier sectors in the form of scrubland. According to Tor, these species are moving to higher altitudes due to new climate conditions and are less flammable than forests dominated by pine and boxwood. For this reason, forestry works aim to promote their growth and create a natural protection strip between the Juberri settlement and the Rabassa forest area, where Naturland is also located. The technical plan approved last year foresees the creation of a buffer zone in the shape of a half-horseshoe covering the entire area below the 1,600-metre altitude level of Montllobà. The first five or six years of the programme will focus on this sector. The works consist of removing part of the pine trees and boxwood where they compete with oaks and holm oaks that are already naturally establishing themselves, with the aim that these species gradually become dominant in the forest. According to Tor, this transformation will make the forest more resilient to wildfires without altering the natural evolution of the ecosystem. Regarding wildfire risks, the engineer recalled that Andorra’s mountainous terrain generally works in its favour, as fires tend to move uphill until they consume available fuel and reach ridgelines, where they usually lose intensity unless exceptional wind conditions occur. However, he warned that Rabassa is a particularly sensitive area because it combines gentler terrain with a high number of visitors to Naturland, making preventive forest management a priority. Tor stressed that these actions not only do not harm biodiversity but actually strengthen it. He explained that downy oak and holm oak are the climax species of this environment, meaning the species that naturally become dominant over time. During the works, all vegetation that can provide ecological value is preserved. Plant remains are not removed but shredded and distributed over the soil so that they return nutrients to the forest and encourage the proliferation of small mammals and other organisms. Regarding the health of Andorra’s forests, the engineer wanted to send a reassuring message. He stated that, in general, forests are not unhealthy and maintain good vitality, also favoured by the abundant rainfall recorded last year. However, he explained that Andorra’s complex terrain creates slopes with limited sunlight and water reserves, where trees are particularly sensitive during prolonged drought periods. This summer, some trees have already started losing their leaves in mid-July due to a lack of water — a natural adaptation mechanism that, if repeated over several consecutive years, could weaken them and eventually lead to their death. In Spain, wildfires in 2026 have affected around 150,000 hectares of land since the beginning of the year. The most affected areas include the provinces of Ávila and Madrid, where major fires have destroyed tens of thousands of hectares of forest, as well as León, Huesca, Teruel and Córdoba. In France, the area affected by wildfires in 2026 has reached approximately 100,000 hectares, making it one of the most severe wildfire seasons in recent years. One of the largest fires occurred in the Gironde department, in south-western France, near the Arcachon Bay (Bassin d’Arcachon), where around 42,000 hectares of forest were destroyed. Significant fires also affected the Landes department and other areas of southern France. These events highlight the importance of preventive forest management, reducing fuel loads and adapting ecosystems to increasingly frequent periods of heat and drought. Finally, Tor recalled that the current high density of forests is the result of the abandonment of intensive forestry practices that were common half a century ago. Those large-scale natural regenerations have created very dense forest areas, where trees compete for resources and are more vulnerable during periods of heat and drought. According to him, this is a natural process that must be managed, but it makes continuous forest management even more necessary in order to reduce wildfire risks and guarantee the conservation of Andorra’s forests.The post Andorra explores drones as a new tool to prevent wildfires first appeared on All PYRENEES.